Emergency door opening tool



Feb. 6, 1940. J. D. TESSIER EIERGENCY DOOR OPENING TOOL Filed Sept. 16., 1939 ,ZZZssz er f w Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,1s9,4so EMERGENCY noon OPENING TOOL Joseph D. Tessier, Worcesten Mass. 2 Application September 16, 1939, Serial No. 295,331

9 Claims.

-mum of damage and time expended, and for easily and quickly separating timber structures, partitions, and the like.

Objects of the invention include the provision of a tool for the above purposes; the provision of a prying implement quickly and easily adjustable so that a proper leverage may be obtained regardless of the angle at which the working edge is inserted into the members 'to be pn'ed apart; the provision of an adjustable prying implement having a thin edge which may be inserted between the lock and the jamb of a door, to force the lock instead of breaking the door.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear'hereinafter. I

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing,"in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail views of separate elements of the device.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral [0 denotes the head of the implement and comprises a thin edge l2 whichv is the prying orworking edge, a wedge-shaped body I4, at one end of which the thin edge I2 is located, and at the wide end of which are two integral, spaced circular portions I6 of like design. These circular I portions are provided with aligned slots I8.

The head I0 is pivoted at the center of the circular portions l6 by a pin 20 on a cooperating, and similarly shaped member 22 which is of a shape and size to fit between the portions Hi. The member 22 is integral with a shank portion 24 which is provided with circular shoulders 26, cooperating with the peripheries of the portion I6. A slot 28 is located in the center part of the shank and extends past the shoulders 26 into the member 22 to a depth equal to the depth of slots I8. Thus it isseen that slots I8 may be alined with slot 28 in a plurality of positions of adjustment of head H].

A lug 30 is slidable' in slot 28 and alined slots l8 andis of such a size that when bridging these slots in their alined positions, the head is locked relative to the shank. 24, but when contained entirely within slot 28, back of the shoulders 26, the head In may be angularly adjusted about its pin 20. Each end of the lug 30 is provided with a boss or projection 32, which extends laterally beyond the sides of the shank 24.

A stamped channel-shaped plate 34 is fitted to slidably reciprocate on the shank 24, and at its forward end is provided with apertures 36 to fit the projections 32. Thus the lug 30 will be reciprocated in slots l8 and 28, as the plate 34 is reciprocated. A tension spring 38 is fixed at one end to the shank 24 in a groove 40 to accommodate the same, and at its other end, the springis fixed to the sliding plate 34. Thus it is clear that {the spring 38 tends to urge the lug 30 to locking position with respect to the head l0.

Thumb and finger pieces 44 are provided on the sides of the plate 34 to assist in pulling the same rearwardly to' unlock and allow for adjustment of the head It). The plate 34 is guided and 11m ited in its sliding movement by a pair of headed screws or bolts 46 working in slots in the plate and secured to the shank 24.

At the end of shank :4 remote from the head Ill there is provided acylindrical handle portion 50 which is adapted to slidablyreceive a pipe-like member 52 which may act as an extension of the handle. A longitudinal groove 54 is provided in the pipe 52, this groove terminating short of the ends thereof. A screw or lug 56 extends outwardly from the handle 50 and is received in the groove 54 to prevent the mem-v ber 52 from sliding off of the handle, and a circular shoulder 58 is provided on the shank to act as an abutment for the pipe-like member 52 in its movement in the opposite direction. A heavy knob 60 is provided on the end of the pipe for extra weight.

In the operation of the device, the tool will ordinarily be adjusted so that the working edge I2 is in line with the handle 50, and the edge is inserted-as far as possible between the members to be pried apart. Then the pipe-like member 52 may be reciprocated so that the edge l2 will be hammered home, due to the action of the pipe on the abutment 58. When the tool is used to open a door or break a lock, the handle is not in a position where leverage can readily be applied to the handle, and in this case, the plate Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In an implement of the class described, a handle having an enlarged shank, a laterally reduced circular portion at one end of the shank, said reduced portion having a concave shoulder, a prying implement having a convex portion cooperating with said concave shoulder for angular movement with respect thereto, a series of notches in the periphery of said convex portion, a slot in said shank extending into said circular portion past the shoulder, a lug in said slot, a spring normally urging said lug into engagement with a selected notch, a hand piece slid-- ably mounted on the shank, and'means connecting the lug and said hand piece, said spring being secured to said hand piece and to said shank.

2. An emergency door opening tool comprising a prying head having a sharp-edged wedge and a curved bearing surface for insertion between the parts to be pried apart, an elongated straight handle adjustably associated with said head, whereby said head and its wedge. may be selectively located in alined position with respect to said handle and at an angle thereto, and means to lock said head and said handle in adjusted position, said means including a resiliently urged,

manually retractible lug on the handle.

, 3. An emergency door opening tool comprising a prying head having a wedge for. insertion be tween the parts to be pried apart, an elongated straight handle adjustably, associated with said head, whereby said wedge may be selectively located in alined position with respect to said handle and at an angle thereto, and means to lock said head and said handle in adjusted position, said means comprising a series ofnotches in said head, a movablelugon said handle for engagement with any one of said notches, said lug extending through said handle and laterally beyond it at both sides, a hand-piece slidably mounted on said handle and engaging the laterally extending parts of said lug, and a spring connected between said hand-piece and said handle and urging the former, and therefore the lug, toward engagement with the notches in the head.

4. An emergency door opening tool comprisinga prying head having a wedge for insertion between the parts to be pried apart, an elongated straight handle adjustably associated with said head, whereby said wedge may be selectively located in alined position with respect to said handle and at an angle thereto, and means to. lock said head and said handle in adjusted position, saidmeans comprising a series of notches in said head and a cooperating sliding lug in said handle, said lug extending laterally beyond both sides of said handle, a hand-piece embracing the handle on the exterior thereof, said hand-piece having means engaging the laterally extending ends of said lug, a spring in said handle to urge said hand-piece, and therefore said lug, towards the head and means on said handle for guiding said hand-piece and retaining it in position with respect to said handle.

5. An emergency door opening tool comprising a prying head having a wedge for insertion between the parts to be pried apart, an elongated straight handle adjustably associated with said head, whereby said wedge may be selectively located in alined position with respect to said handle and at an angle thereto, and means to lock said head and said handle in adjusted position, said means comprising a rounded central extension on said handle, said head having a rounded portion cooperating with the rounded portion on the handle and having a central slot into which the rounded portion on the handle extends, means pivoting said rounded portions, a series of notches on the periphery of the rounded portion of the head, 2. lug slidable in the handle portion for selective engagement with any of said notches, said lugextending beyond the sides of the handle, a hand-piece vembracing at least three sides of said handle and having means at its forward end for engagement with the laterally extending parts of said lug, a recess in said handle, a spring secured at one end in said recess, and at its other end tosaid hand-piece for urging the hand-piece, and therefore the lug, to notch engaging position.

6. An emergency door opening tool comprising a prying, head having a wedge for insertion betweenthe parts to be pried apart, an elongated straight handle adjustably associated with said head, whereby said wedge may be selectively located in alined position with respect to said handle and at an angle thereto, and means to lock said head and said handle in adjusted position, said means comprising cooperating rounded parts on said head and said handle, a series of notches in said head and a cooperating slidable lug in said handle, aslidable hand-piece on said handle and having means engaging said lug to move the same,

said hand-piece extending over at least three sides of said handle and being of an extent large enough to be easily grasped by an operator, and spring means urging said hand-piece toward the head. 7

7. An emergency door opening tool comprising aprying head having an elongated curved bearing surface and a sharp-edged wedge at the end thereof, a handle adjustably associated with said head, whereby the head and its wedge may be selectively located at an angle to, and in generally alined position with respect to said handle so that said curved surface substantially forms acontinuation of a surface of said handle when the parts are alined, and means to lock said head and said handle in either position.

8. In an article of the class described, a head having a wedge, an elongated handle angularly adjustably mounted with relation to said head,

whereby said wedge may be selectively located in substantiallyalined position with respect to said handle and at an angle thereto, means to lock said head in adjusted position comprising a lug located in said handle, and a sleeve embracing said handle and connected to said lug.

9. In an article of the class described, a handle, a prying member rotatably adjustable with respect thereto, cooperating locking members on the handle and the prying member, and means to engage and disengage said locking members, comprising a slidable lug, a slidable sleeve embracing said handle and connected to said lug, and resilient means to urge said lug and said sleeve in one direction.

JOSEPH D. TESSIER. 

